1/15 Season Three, Episode 19: The Boy Who Could Be King–Scarecrow and Mrs King

Hi Everyone! Time to start a new episode! I tend to get rather attached to an episode we’re walking through – and find moving on a little bittersweet. But.. I look forward to uncovering all the gems in this episode with you all. Funnily enough, Learjet’s two parenting posts have helped me say bye bye to Wrong Number too! 🙂 [Loved them Learjet!]

A huge thanks to Kiwismh.. for transcribing this episode in lightning speed – Truly a service above and beyond! 🙂 Thanks also to Learjet for helping with the formatting! So get ready…here we go…

The episode title is over an airport background.. Welcome to SMK airport.. thanks for flying with SMK airlines.. (Just fly with me!) … fasten your seat belts!The Boy Who Could be King. What a title! We are already scratching our heads about this title. I did a little (very little) background reading on The Man Who Would be King by Kipling.. anyone seen the movie? I saw snippets on youtube. [Christopher Plummer looks so young!] and.. wow!! It certainly makes me curious about what this episode is going to be about.. and if there will be any severed heads

At the airport we see a private plane arrive.. Hey.. is that a learjet Learjet?!
we then see a random garbage truck.
Aaaaaand a man with a rifle nearby. oh lol.. surely nothing is going to happen to that rifle guy being so surrounded by containers with a garbage truck nearby?!
Rifle guy attaches a site to his rifle.. and we see some stairs pop out of that jet. This is no ordinary learjet.. it has a flag on it!

A red convertible pulls up with some flags on it.. that same black flag with the yellow and red stripe..Is it a corvette? don’t ask me I’m hopeless with cars!
Ahhh a little shout out to Prince. R.I.P 😦
Lets all just assume this is a little red corvette in his honour!
The little red corvette comes to a stop next to the jet.
The rifle guy is ready to shoot.Out of the plane comes a guy carrying his trumpet. Yes. Trumpet. This is going to be fun woot woot!Trumpet dude: Hey, Hey!!As we all guessed.. that garbage truck knocks over those barrels before rifle guy can shoot trumpet man.. and sends him head first into a dumpster. lol. Crowley (the driver): Welcome, your Majesty.Crowley holds up a bottle of champagne with a bow on it as a big welcome. lol. He waves that bottle around and gives it a good shake His Majesty gets in the car: All-right!! Onward Crowley. Margaritas wait for no man… [seems Crowley guessed the wrong drink!] …Not even a King, eh?!…
(Majestic Trumpet King sits up high playing the trumpet as they drive off..)
[Hey! Safety first!]
The garbage truck driver walks around to inspect the damage and closes the lid on the dumpster. Not realising there’s a wannabe assassin inside! Funny that, because I saw the rifle go flying down on to the ground, and the driver should have seen it.. hope there’s no random kiddies around who will pick it up! [Safety First! Mothers for a safe environment would be horrified!]
The car drives along.. whooo diplomatic plates huh..
I love how Trumpet King is able to play the trumpet without puffing up his cheeks!
For some unknown reason, Crowley stops right next to the dumpster. Guess this means he is a bad guy, and knows there is suppose to be a rifle guy there no? Otherwise, why would he stop? I guess it could be an smk coincidence.. you know.. one of those coincidences that should mean something but doesn’t?!…What’s the matter, Crowley. Don’t stop. Come on, let’s get going![lol- this little red corvette? baby you’re much too slow!]
LOL this little red corvette loves to reflect the lighting and the crew.. it’s a tad distracting!Reluctantly it seems, Crowley moves on as ordered..

Anyway, we’ll move on too- straight to Suburbia..Jamie: Mom wouldn’t like you sticking price tags on the goldfish.Philip: I’m not sticking price tags on the goldfish, Einstein. I’m just putting them in a separate bowl.Amanda joins them.Amanda: Fellas, it’s a garage sale. You don’t have to sell your pets.Jamie: I thought you were going, Mom?Amanda: Yeah, well, my ride didn’t pick me up and I called a cab but they never came, so I’ll call ‘em again.(Amanda’s preoccupied with the phone)
[Hey, those flowers next to Amanda are new we haven’t seen those before I think?]Philip: Look at all this stuff! We’re gonna be outta the poor-house in no time.Dotty: I would choose my words a little more carefully, darling. This is only a property tax increase, not pounding at the door by Simon Legree.[I had to look up Simon Legree.. never heard of him. Never heard of Uncle Tom’s cabin either.. I wondered if he was related to The Man who Would be King or Kipling… but no!]Amanda: Mother, did Jerry from the garage call?Dotty: Oh, yeah, he called right after you left. He went on and on about all those mechanical things. I don’t understand a word he said.Amanda: How much?Dotty: Three hundred and fifty.Amanda: Ohh!Jamie: There go the goldfish.[haaaa! hey.. notice the cardigan behind Amanda??!!!
I recognise this one for once… Remember?
Amanda was working her way up to tweezers!]Amanda: Forget it. The goldfish are going to be just fi… (whoever Amanda was waiting for on the phone answers)…- Hello! Yes, this is Mrs King from 4247 Maplewood. I called for a cab about half an hour ago and it still isn’t here. Well, fifteen minutes ago would have been perfect but if you could send it now I would appreciate it. All right, I’m waiting. Thank you. Goodbye….(Amanda hangs up and walks over to say bye to the boys..)…All right fellas, you, ah, have a….(she stops short when she sees their hands)….What have you got all over your hands?Philip: We put some stain on an old baseball bat.Jamie: We’re going to cash in on the antiques craze.[rofl! sounds like they don’t need little Dillinger Alexi around to get up to criminal mischief We can’t see Jamie’s right hand.. he still got a plaster cast? I can’t tell.. ]Amanda: Oh fellas,…
[I love love the look she gives them here.. Awhhh aren’t they cute.. doing their criminal best to keep us out of the poor house ]…okay, gimme a kiss…(Amanda leans in for a kiss.. a careful one lol)…don’t touch me!..[is that Jamie’s right hand with no plaster cast?
These little touches are fun quirky family moments! I wonder if stained hands, varnish or the antiques craze will factor into the plot later haaa]…Bye, bye mother.Dotty: Goodbye sweetheart.Amanda: Have fun.Dotty: Don’t worry about them. I’ll read them their rights.[rofl! I love it! I wonder if Dotty is clued into Amanda’s work having something to do with law and order? I’ve always wondered.. because it seemed a bit random for Amanda to suddenly work for a security company in Murder Between Friends… but.. I don’t think Dotty’s imagination could guess what is really going on. thoughts? ]Amanda leaves and calls out:Good idea.The scene ends there with a massive sigh from Dotty!

All this stuff on the table is quite hypnotic. what’s the first prop you went looking for?
I immediately looked for the football Sandy Newcombe gave Amanda the reporter! I didn’t see it though.. I guess Amanda would have to explain the inscription 😉 I bet KC would have a field day with all these props! Can’t wait to hear from you guys!

First off, I have to say that I love Trumpet Dude – anyone surprised? 😀 He is just so full of life and spontaneous and energetic and willing to just go with the flow and loves to have fun. He is the complete opposite of me – hahaha. I think that is why I love him – He is everything I will never be and never could be, but he is fun to watch and he is funny. I wonder if the actor made up his accent and cadence with his words or if it is a combination of a few different accents? I did not look up the actor in real life. Oh, and he looks similarly to my brother-in-law who also speaks with an accent and is similar in nature to trumpet dude. But those glasses…back in the 80s they may have been cool, but now they look like the type of sunglasses geriatric patients wear over their regular glasses when they are out in the sun. And I know I’m late to the party, and I’m sure someone has mentioned it, but I’m pretty sure that is not a Corvette. I’ll guess it’s either an expensive Italian sports car or a cheap knock-off.

I don’t recognize the flowers, but that sweater behind Amanda to her right looks familiar, and I’m glad to see it has a price tag on it. I’m pretty sure she’s worn that sweater before, I just can’t place the episode. She looks pretty in this outfit today. Oh, haaaa, I see, iwsod, that you did recognize the cardie! I spoke too soon! I must admit that it never occurred to me to look for props until you asked the question, iwsod. But I don’t recognize any. I only see a lot of really old kid toys – that rocking horse and play phone with the eyeballs and nose was probably in every suburban American house in the 70s and 80s. It looks like a big jumbled mess! So unlike Amanda. Maybe it’s the boys doing.

I am going to try to keep up with this episode, I hope.
Looks like Amanda and the boys are moving out of “the mother of two little boys” stage. Time to let go of the baby toys. But the kids also must have gotten an earful of concern about finances and how tight things must be.

I see that blue fuzzy bathrobe that Amanda was wearing in Playing for Keeps (I think?)

And I wonder why we would have references to Kipling and Uncle Tom’s Cabin? Hmm?

Oh and I have to wave my “episode order flag.” In my SMK mind the order for these last few episodes in season 3 need to be reworked, but we can discuss that later. Just letting you all know that I like to think some other events happened before this one…

Looking at all of that stuff piled on top or her cook top makes me antsy. One of the reasons I am not around very much is because I am closing up my in laws house and culling through 62 years of “tchotchkes”. It gives me hives to see that pile.

I’m so sorry I don’t have the time to respond to everyone as much as I wish I could! I’m loving hearing from you all!!!!

Oh and I have to wave my “episode order flag.” In my SMK mind the order for these last few episodes in season 3 need to be reworked, but we can discuss that later. Just letting you all know that I like to think some other events happened before this one…

thanks for the heads up Morley, that isn’t a heads up on anything that’s ahead either 🙂 I’ll be keeping this in the back of my mind as we proceed.. and I’ll look forward to exploring this with you and anyone else interested when season 3 is done and dusted 🙂

I’m surprised at the Simon Legree comment from Dotty, mostly because I wouldn’t think the boys would have been old enough to read Uncle Tom’s Cabin. That would have been a bit much for them at that age.

Also like the Fisher Price toys. That phone kills me. Maybe that should be the new baddie phone.

lol… It IS a baddie phone, if you’ve ever been hit by one. In my case, the “baddie” was an energetic one-year old (my babysitter’s daughter) who knocked it in my direction. Wrong place at the wrong time. I never had one of those Fisher Price phones, but just about everyone I knew did.

Looking at the table, it seems to be mostly kids toys, and quite young kids (and yes, I loved that Fisher Price phone). Its rare for toddler toys to last quite so long (or in such good condition). I think Amanda must be as sentimental as her mother but perhaps she is changing and letting go? (I’m not good as seeing sub text so this is probably stretching it).
I did notice a good few clothes hanging on rails on the kitchen presses. Now there are many outfits of Amanda’s I would like to see on those rails!!! And perhaps a certain ear ring collection as well.

If you all don’t mind my very random thoughts here… I’ve just noticed that both Triumvirate and this episode start out with some unsuspecting bad guy getting wiped out by a bunch of barrels. Both episodes also involve Amanda sifting through pieces from her past.

I immediately looked for the football Sandy Newcombe gave Amanda the reporter!
Ohh, Iwsod, I don’t think Amanda would ever give away any of the souvenirs Lee gave to her. I always imagined her putting them into a special box (nooo, not a Tupperware box…) and hiding it somewhere deep in the back of her closet. Well that is except the Panda of course ’cause that guy was really huge (and gorgeous).

tchotchkes
Actually I never saw or heard that word before and had to look it up, too. In German we’d call it either Nippes or Tinnef or simply Staubfänger (dust catcher) ’cause those stuff does just that – catching dust.

That’s what I like about this blog, it’s educational. I had never heard of or seen the word tchotchkes (I thought your fingers were on the wrong keys 😉) so I looked it up.

Some how I picture those ladies as pack rats, so they could probably have a lot more to sale than is pictured here. Yeah, clean off those cluttered shelves…she could make some money and in turn have less stuff to dust 🙂

Just think of what must be upstairs in Dotty’s room. After all, she had a hula skirt that she kept for decades — long enough for it to rot and fall apart. Then, there was the stuffed buffalo head that she let Amanda take to the “rummage sale.” She’s got to have some other interesting stuff hidden away in her room. I was going to write a fanfic about that at some point . . .

I remember hearing that word in The Nanny – I guess Yiddish?
I’m always amazed given her constrained financial circumstances of the past few years that Amanda has so much stuff in her house such as ornaments and decor items.
Having said that, I have been doing a clean out of storage boxes in my house recently and have taken quite a few boxes of stuff to the SPCA Op Shop – most of it unwanted birthday and christmas gifts from well meaning but misguided friends and family. Most of it never even taken out of the box!
Amanda clearly feels the need to display, even the stuff she doesn’t like. (That would be very Amanda, so she doesn’t hurt the gift-giver’s feelings). Maybe some of it was Joe’s stuff too?
Looking deeper into this, may be it is a metaphor for Amanda having a clear out of all the unwanted stuff inside here as well. Leaving behind the guilt of the failed marriage, and those feelings of failure or unworthiness that might have limited her while she was married to, and in the aftermath of, her break-up from Joe. A good time to finally clear the decks of all that unwanted baggage as the real Amanda finally blossoms and embraces new challenges, and new and healthier relationships (i’m not just thinking about her relationship with Lee, I think she also is getting better at other relatinoships such as being more assertive with her mother and managing Francine).

I was happy when she got rid of those farm-themed decorations that she had way back in the first episode, like the pig pictures that she had on the bookcase. I had a theory that some of the clutter was because Dotty probably had her own home or apartment somewhere before moving in with Amanda to help take care of the kids after Joe left. She probably brought a lot of stuff with her when she moved in (ex. stuffed buffalo head), and it took awhile before they sorted through things and decided what they really had room for and what they wanted and didn’t want to keep.

with the clutter.. I figured the show was portraying them as a typical suburban home.. full of stuff.. and that the colonial décor was culturally typical of that time. was it OTT?

Looking deeper into this, may be it is a metaphor for Amanda having a clear out of all the unwanted stuff inside here as well. Leaving behind the guilt of the failed marriage, and those feelings of failure or unworthiness that might have limited her while she was married to, and in the aftermath of, her break-up from Joe. A good time to finally clear the decks of all that unwanted baggage as the real Amanda finally blossoms and embraces new challenges, and new and healthier relationships (i’m not just thinking about her relationship with Lee, I think she also is getting better at other relatinoships such as being more assertive with her mother and managing Francine).

Love this kiwismh! I think it would sum up the main theme of season 3 so far.. lots of growth and moving on and up! I agree Amanda is definitely looking forward and growing in confidence and assertiveness 🙂

I can see here that the show is highlighting that the boys are not little boys anymore.. they don’t need baby toys that’s for sure..
Which might pave the way for Amanda to go full time and get rid of that flippin guest pass!!!

Looked through the actor’s (Michael Bell) web-page and other material (ie wikipedia 😉 ) and I can find no mention of his playing the trumpet (or indeed any musical instrument). Maybe he got some tips from another wind player in the show…? Interestingly, I see Michael Bell played KJ’s ex in Charlie’s Angels so there is another connection.

Regarding the title, there is now an “interactive ebook” (?!?) called Babel, the Cat Who Would Be King, but I suspect it was inspired by Kipling not SMK 😀

Hiya!
good thinking Learjet. Nooooo KJ’s ex.. my goodness seems many people enjoy working with KJ across various shows.. Gee all those articles talking about her being ‘difficult’ didn’t mention that! Gooo KJ! 🙂

Babel the case who would be King? rofl!!!
and Babar.. the elephant who would be king?!
this title is a bit of a puzzle.. I look forward to digging into it with you all!

Hey this is what I was thinking of..
not really puffy cheeks..but definitely trumpet face lol..
but I’ll be curious to see what the musicians in the audience (me? no!) make of the music in this episode when we get to music-y bits!

Not a “little red corvette” but I’ll go with it in honour of Prince. 🙂
A pretty inept assassin who didn’t hear the big ol’ garbage truck coming up right behind him. Maybe he was super-focussed on his job.
Let’s hope that heinous knitted vest is going out in the garage sale, along with all those oversized fluffy cardies and the parachute skirts.

A pretty inept assassin who didn’t hear the big ol’ garbage truck coming up right behind him. Maybe he was super-focussed on his job.
lol. I guess it’s possible an assassin could be hearing impaired too. don’t want to discriminate! 😉

rofl. good thinking.. the perfect excuse for Amanda to clear out her wardrobe (especially green tops.. they do nothing for her 😉 ahem.) I guess this is the second ‘rummage’ sale Amanda has had in the show.. tee hee..

It’s definitely a Fisher Price one. I think I had one just like it as a child (or maybe it belonged to the Jet sister and I took it over 😉 ). Yes, rotary phones took quite a lot of explaining to the minijets. As did having a cord on your phone…

I just thought of something else. I think “Crowley” was the name of the old man in the first Nancy Drew mystery whose will was missing, and they had to find it to prove who really inherited his estate.

The props guy for this show always get big props from me (har har) for using actual diplomatic plates on their diplomatic cars in this series. According to this one, marked NC, our trumpet playing King is from Paraguay – and yet somehow, I doubt that, don’t you? 😉

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